Suspect arrested in attack on Lakewood rabbi

A 37-year-old Lakewood man was arrested today in the baseball bat attack on an Orthodox rabbi two weeks ago, police said.

Lee Tucker was taken into custody about a half-mile from from where the attack occurred, Lakewood police Sgt. John Stillwell said. Tucker was charged with attempted murder and possession of a deadly weapon, the baseball bat, Stillwell said.

Bail was set at $375,000, and Tucker was taken to Ocean County Jail, Stillwell said.

The arrest comes 15 days after Rabbi Mordechai Moskowitz, 52, was beaten about the head with a baseball bat on Oct. 9 as the teacher of Hebrew walked to synagogue.

"There are mixed feelings in the community," said Rabbi Moshe Zev Weisburg, who was told by police of the arrest. "On the one hand, there's tremendous relief that this evil criminal was apprehended and taken off the street. On the other hand, we're still praying for Rabbi Moskowitz' full recovery."

The attack increased tensions in the Ocean County community that has a large number of Orthodox Jewish and African American residents.

The suspect is African American. Sgt. Stillwell declined to describe the assault as bias related, saying the motive remained under investigation.